Ignition device for motor-vehicles.



I J. A. HEANY. IGNITION DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2|. I917.

Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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J. A. HEANY.

mumou DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

- APPLICATION FILED NOV 21. 9|.

1,301 ,053. Patented Apr.15, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2'.

G Noam e1 J. A. HEANY.

IGNITION DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION ruzu'uov.21.19n.

1,301,053. Patented Apr. 15,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

\ anwvvtoz John Allen flea/7y GEMMGHQ J. A. HEANY.

IGNITION DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21.19l7.

Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN ALLEN HEANY, OF JERSEYCITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIG-NOR TO LINDSAY AUTO PARTS COMPANY, OF INDIANAPOLIS; INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

IGNITION DEVICE FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification oftemrs Patent.

Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

Original application filed l'uly 27, 1910, Serial No. 574,030. Divided and this application filed November 21,

1917. Serial No. 203,171.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ALLEN HEANY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Devices for Motor-Vehicles, of which I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates particularly to that type of dynamo electric machines, which have gas engine ignition mechanism incorporated in their structure. This application is a' division of my co-pendin application, Serial No. 574,030, filed July 2%, 1910.

The object of theinvention is to embody in a single unit, a dynamo electric machine, a distributer, and a timer for internal combustion engines. Another object is to dispose the ignition elements in the dynamo, so

that they will be easily accessible and detach able, and have a direct positive driving relationship with the dynamo armature shaft, Another object is to provide means for automatically preventing an excessive flow of current in the ignition circuit should the engine stop. Further objects, and objects relating to economics of manufacture and details of construction, will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices described in the following specification; my invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the appended claims.

A structure constituting a preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whic Figure I is a view showing the dynamo in place on an automobile chassis;

F i II is a diagrammatioal view illustrating t e electrical devices connected in proper circuit;

Fig. III is a view of the dynamo with the ignition devices shown in section;

Fig. IV is a sectional end view of the machine taken substantially on the line IV-IV of Fig. III;

Fig. V is a detail sectional view of the direction of the little arrows at the ends of the section lines.

In the accompanying drawings, the dynamo electric. machine 1, is illustrated asconnected by gears 2, 3, 4, to the shaft 2, of the engine 6. This engine is for convenience illustrated as of the four-cylinder type having its cylinders 7, S, 9, 10, arranged to receive a supply of explosive mixture through the manifold 11 and carbureter 12, from a main supply tank 13, with intermediate connection 14*. The chassis frame is indicated at 15 and bears the various parts of the mechanism making up an ordinary chassis frame, the several parts of which need no detaihdescription.

In the diagrammatic view illustrated in Fig. II, the engine cylinders 7, 8, 9, 10, are illustrated as provided with spark plugs 11 to 14, inclusive, which-plugs, of course, have one of their terminals grounded in the engine and frame while the other is connected with the respective circuit wires 15 to. 18, inclusive. These line-wires terminate in the relatively stationary contacts of the distributer, D, the movable contact 19, thereof being connected with a circuit wire 20, which, through the secondary coil Z), and primary coil 6, of the spark coil B, is connected with the make and break device E, through its stationary contact e. The movable contact 21, actuated by a cam or suitable device 22, is connected through a line wire 23, with the switch contact 24. The opposite side of the circuit 26, which runs from the primary coil Z), is connected with a switch contact 27.

There are also two switch contacts 28, 29, which respectively connect with the circuit line wires 30, 31, that connect with the dynamo electric machine A.

This dynamo electric machine A, is, of

'30, 31, connect the dynamo-electric machine with a storage battery K, through the switch L, which, as indicated herein, is formed as i a unit with the switch member Z, that controls the lines 23, 26, of the ignition circuit that is also connected with the storage battery K and the main, line wires of the dynamo electric machine when the switch L, Z, is closed.

A lamp circuit 32, 33, is indicated as controlled by a switch M,which switch is connected w1th the line circuit 30 31 Of course, it is understood that the various controlling switches of the main line circuit may be varied to suit any particular condition. It is preferred, however, that the chine, and the ignition circuit also, provided the switch O was closed.

As. illustrating the dynamo electric machine more in detail, reference is made to Figs. III, IV and V, wherein the armature shaft-50, is illustrated as suitably mounted upon anti-friction bearings 51, and attached to a gear 52, which gear is in 'mesh with a gear 53, mounted upon anti-friction bearings 54:, and providing a means for rotating a make and break cam 55.

The armature 56, is provided withsuitable commutator and brush connections arranged in the head-piece 57. These parts are not shown in detail nor are the fields arranged within the casing 58, specifically shown in detail.

I To the front of the main casing of the dynamo electric machine is secured a casing 59, which provides a suitable bearing for the support of the gear 52, and an axially movable sleeve 60. This sleeve, as illustrated herein, is, through a spline 61, connected with a sectional shaft 62, which, in turn, is connected through the gears 2, 3, 4, with the main shaft of the engine.

The gear 52, has an extended sleeve 63, provided with helical slots or cam grooves 6 L, within which are arranged pins 65, that are secured to the axially movable sleeve 60. The sleeve 60, is also provided with a grooved actuator 66, which, through any suitable lever 67, may be utilized to actuate a switch device such as illustrated in diagram at L, l, or for any purpose for controlling the various circuits.

In Figs. and IV, I have illustrated the particular form of timing mechanism employed. o

The gear 53, heretofore referred to and the timing cam '55, are mounted to rotate upon the anti-friction bearings 54, which are supported upon a spindle 68, which spindle is secured in the face plate 69, of the machine in any desired manner.

' An insulating plate 70, provided with suitable .co'nductors 71, to 74, inclusive, provides a means for bringing the i'nnem terminals of said conductors successively into position to take current from the plate 75 on the rn ating member 53. The opposite side of the circuit is connected through a conductor 76,

to a ring plate 76 and thence through the conductor 77, to the plate 75.

Secured to an insulating plate, 78, is a stud 79, upon which is mounted a trip finger 80, held in normal position by aspring 81, and having a lip 82, and a lever arm 83. The latter comes in contactand is moved by the bosses 84, of the timing cam 55, so that the vibrator spring 85, will be drawn away from the contact post 86, at given periods to break the circuit. The vibrator spring 85, is mounted in a block 87, in any suitable manner.

With this arrangement of parts, it is apparent that the timing device willalways operate synchronously with the generating apparatus and both devices are conveniently coalesced to form a unit which, with the ordinary controllingdevices, may be mounted upon the engine in lieu of an ordinary magnet o.

' speed, will. permitibattery K to drive the dynamo electric machine A as a motor and cause the automatic switch lever 67 to be moved through the sleeve 60, to properly cut out the ignition and generator circuits at switches L, Z, as hereinbefore described. It is also to be noted, should the engine stop for any. reason while the switch O is still closed, or should the switch 0 be closed accidentally while the engine is at rest, that the excessive current which would ordinarily flow through the ignition circuit under such conditions, will be entirely prevented by the action of the switch Z which always automatically opens when the engine speed falls below a certain value. I

Obviously, the elements might be arranged in various forms of j uxta-position or the dellO tails of the mechanism might be varied withv out departing from the spirit or intent of the invention, as defined in the claims appended herewith. v t

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an ignition systemfor internal combustion engines, the combination with a spark producing'device including a winding,

of a-source of electrical energy comprising a storage battery and dynamo adapted to charge the same through [an automatically controlled circuit, an ignition circuit adapted to connect said source of energy with said trolling and timing the current flow in saidignition'circuit, and means mtercal'ated in said ignition circuit for automatically reventing excessive current flow therein w en the rate of periodic actuation of said circuit interrupting member falls below a certain value.

2. In an ignition system for internal combustion engines, the combination with a current transforming device comprising high and low tension windings, of a source of electrical energy comprising a. storage battery and charging means therefor connected thereto through an automatically controlled circuit, a primary circuit adapted to connect with said low .tension of the system, a circuit interrupting member periodically actuated by the engine for controlling and timing the current flow in said primar circuit, and current actuated means mterca ted in said primary circuitfor automaticallyjpreventing excessive current flow therein when the rate of periodic-actuation of said circuit interrupting member falls below a certain value.

.3. In anignition system for variable speed internal h combustion engines, the combinationwith a spark producing device including a winding, of a source of electrical energy comprising a storage battery" and charging means therefor connected thereto throng an automatically controlled circuit, an ignition circuit adapted to connect said source of energy with said winding, a 1 normally closed circuit interrupting'member cally actuated by the variable engine for controlling and the current ow in said ignition circuit, an current actuated means intercalated in said ignition circuit for automatically preventing excessive current flow therein when the rate of periodic actuation of said circuit interrupting member falls below a certain value.

4. In an ignition system for internal combustion engines, the combination with at .with said windin spark producing device including a winding, of a source of electrical energy comprising a'storage battery and charging means therefor connected thereto through an automatically controlled circuit, an ignition circuit adapted to connect said source of energy a circuit interrupting member periodical y actuated by the engine for controlling and timing the current flow in said ignition circuit, and electro-mechanicalmeans intercalated in said primary circuit. for automatically preventing excessive current flow therein when the rate of periodic actuation of said circuit interrupting member falls below a certain value. v

' 5. In an ignition system for variable speed internal combustion engines,-the combination with a spark producing device including a winding, of a source of electrical energy comprising a storage battery and charging means therefor connected thereto through a manually closed circuit, an ignition circuit adapted to connect said source of ener with said winding, a. normall closed circuit inter'ruptin' cally 'actuatedjby the varlable speed engine for controlling and timing the current flow in said ignition circuit, and current actuated means intercalated in said primary circuit for automatically preventing excessive current flow therein when the rate of periodic actuation of said circuit interrupting member falls below a certain value.

6. In an ignition system for internal combustion engines, the combination with a spark producingdevice including an. ignition circuit, of a source of electrical energy comprising a storage battery and a dynamo arranged to charge the same, single manually operable means for simultaneously connecting said battery to said ignition circuit and said d amo, a circuit interrupting member periodically actuated .by the e for controlling and timing the current ow in said ignition circuit, and currentactuated means intercalated in said ignition circuit for automatically preventing excessive current flow therein when the rate ofperiodic actuation of said circuit interrupting member falls below a certain value.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

' JOHN ALLEN HEANY.

member period1-- 

